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Amazon has unveiled a line of electric plugs, microwaves and clocks powered by its Alexa digital assistant as it sought to position itself at the centre of the smart home.

The gadgets see the company’s Alexa voice assistant extend well beyond the line of Echo smart speakers it first released in 2014.

Amazon’s Echo, which uses artificial intelligence to respond to voice commands, has become a surprise hit in many homes, but the company’s grip on the market for smart speakers has come under threat by rival devices from Google and Apple.

By significantly expanding the gadgets it sells that work with the Echo, the company hopes it will lock consumers into using its software.

The plug, microwave and clock were unveiled at the company’s headquarters in Seattle. The clock can display timers triggered by voice commands, while the microwave can be used to order extra food from Amazon when customers run out.

It revealed Echo buttons which can be used to play quiz games with friends

The company also announced a system that makes it easier for Alexa-powered gadgets to connect new to a home Wi-Fi network, without having to enter passwords. The technology could give the company’s devices a leg up if they are perceived as being easier to set up.

“We’re really at a tipping point of smart home,” said Dave Lee, the head of Amazon’s devices business. “There are a lot of things you want to be connected in the house; we wanted to lead the way on that.”

Amazon took an early lead in the market for voice controlled smart speakers when it released the first Amazon Echo in 2014. Google and Apple have since followed, releasing their own devices powered by artificially intelligent personalities.

While voice controlled speakers have been hailed as a new computing paradigm, sales remain small compared to the hundreds of millions of smartphones sold a year.

Figures from Deloitte say that ownership of smart speakers in the UK has more than doubled in the last year, from 5pc to 12pc. Unlike smartphones, older consumers are more likely to use them regularly. Almost two thirds - 63pc - of owners between 45 and 75 use them on a daily basis, compared to 40pc of 18 to 24-year-olds.

Amazon is also yet to find a clear business model for the Echo. It does not make a profit on sales of the hardware, and has resisted introducing advertising into its voice software. Echo owners can use the device to shop on Amazon, but analysts believe few take advantage of the feature

The company also expanded its array of Echo speakers, adding a subwoofer and stereo amplifier, and unveiled a car that connects to car stereos so that the software can be used when driving.